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Ramos' strong start 1:41

4/26/14: Cesar Ramos pitches five shutout innings against the White Sox, earning his first win of the season

By Tony Meale
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- By all accounts, Cesar Ramos' start against the White Sox on Saturday was a success. He pitched five-plus shutout innings, threw a career-high 65 pitches and got his first career victory as a starter.

"I really wanted him to go farther into that game," Maddon said. "I really did. But again, Konerko was the blockade right there for me. I've just seen him too many times in big moments really make it hurt. If it was a different lineup constitution yesterday, I probably would have done something differently with him. I might have left him out there a little bit longer, but I really thought it was important to get Gomes in the game at that time."

Gomes got Konerko to ground into a double play.

"I was hoping to be able to get some outs in the sixth," Ramos said, "but the way the game was, it was too close to call. Gomer came in and did a hell of a job."

Still, Ramos is pleased with his progress. After giving up four runs in two innings to Cincinnati, he's allowed just one run in 10 innings against the Yankees and White Sox.

"Hopefully with every outing that trust [from Maddon] will get stronger and we'll get the pitch count up and get into the sixth and seventh," Ramos said. "I'll go as deep as I can."

Maddon is perfectly fine with that.

"Just keep doing what he's doing," Maddon said. "He's been so pitch-efficient. It's coming for him. I think when we took him out against New York, he was really okay wth that. Yesterday, he might have wanted to stay out there a little bit longer, and I don't blame him. But that was basically based on my experience against Konerko."

Tony Meale is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.